Why Kickstarter is totally okay

There seems to be different opinions about use of kickstarter. Some devs think it’s purest form of evil, while others seem to think it as the heavenly paradise which solves all their funding problems. And then there’s the rest of us whose opinions falls somewhere between.

With that being said, let’s move forward and accept what Kickstarter is, and what it isn’t.

First of all: Kickstarter is much (not in all projects, but for many) about selling ideas or early projects. Of course it depends of the team who is using it, but for many cases it’s about “hey, Ive done this sort of stuff before and here’s what Im planning to cook next. You wouldn’t mind giving me some cash, would you?”

It’s about having idea or something bit more, and then asking for money for completing the project.

And that is perfectly okay.

Nobody is forcing anything. Everybody has freedom of choise to do as they want. People have the right to buy expensive plastic junk in giftwrapped boxes once per year and they sure have the right to support ideas. Or pay for ideas.

Even when somebody is selling indie games priced $10… That doesn’t mean it would be the “proper” or “right” way to do it. When it comes to money, it’s the customers who decide what they pay for, not the developers.

I decide how I use my wallet, not you.

If somebody is selling orange juice at certain price, that doesn’t mean he gets to decide whether the neighbour can sell his juice for subsription based fee. Whether the other guy promises too much or sells too cheap… Well that’s tough. He has the right to do so (within commonly agreed laws).

Let’s take another example. Nuclear power.

Nuclear power can be used for good stuff (think Mars rover: that beast has one cool huge nuclear powered energy source with it, no need to worry about solar panels). Or it can be done bad (recent nuclear plant issue at Japan, remember?).

Guns can be used for good (hunting: providing food for the family) or for the bad (crimes).

Similarly there are teams and projects that can use Kickstarter for good purposes, and then there’s projects that should never be there.

Kickstarter is not about being good or bad, it’s simply a different tool. It’s about having one more option.

Juuso Hietalahti

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One Comment

Kickstarter is a means to an end. A way to get products created. People need to look at a specific kickstarter project and decide if they want to support it or not, and not treat the whole platform itself (kickstarter) as good or bad.